SLAM Contest Rules
Wow! New for 2024! Win prize money!
Multi-Media Training Video Contest – 3-7 min.
Judging panel determines the winner. No limit on entrants. Participants may submit more than one video.
Are you creative and want to share tips with other members?
In this contest you will create an engaging, short, informative video providing training tips and tricks on a Speakers League topic that hasn’t been covered on the training dashboard.
Suggested topics:
- How to be MC
- How to be Meeting Manager
- How to be Impromptu Master
- Speech Types to Avoid
- How to Answer Impromptu Questions
- Speakers League Dress Code
- Launching and Landing your Speech
- How to be Humorist
Look at the content on the training dashboard for inspiration, or come up with your own creative approach!
Multi-Media Training Video Contest FAQs
May I use visual aids?: Yes. As you produce this training video, you are encouraged to use the visual aids that would be most effective to convey your information, for example slides, special effects, animations, and more.
Do I need to stand or be visible in this video?: Not necessarily. If you are visible, be sure you are displaying all of your Speakers League skills to inform your audience.
May I use notes?: If necessary, but it wouldn’t be encouraged.
May I receive help in producing this: Yes, but please don’t make this your parents’ project.
Can other people appear in my video?: Yes.
What do I receive if I win the contest?: $25 Amazon Gift Card First Prize, $15 Amazon Gift Card Second Prize, and $10 Amazon Gift Card Third Prize. All winning videos will be screened at SLAM, and possibly added to the training dashboard. Submissions become property of Speakers League.
Impromptu Contest – 2 minutes
There is a Speakers League Impromptu contest and a Junior Speakers League Impromptu contest. Judging panel determines the winner. Maximum entrants: 22
View judging panel tips (advice may need to be modified for online SLAMs): https://youtu.be/z5hLyVxPVcg.
Contestants will be “held” in the virtual waiting room until it is their turn in front of the judges. One at a time, the contestants are transferred into the main online meeting room to receive the contest question. Just like in a regular Speakers League meeting, contestants must reach the red signal (2-minutes) but not the bell (rung at 2 1/2 minutes) to be eligible to be voted for by the judging panel.
Impromptu Contest FAQs
May I use visual aids?: No. Just like in a Speakers League meeting, you should keep your hands free for gestures. Also, no screen sharing or annotation.
May I use notes?: No. Just like in a Speakers League meeting, you would not use notes. Also, no screen sharing or annotation.
What do I receive if I win the contest?: An engraved medal will be awarded. This will be mailed to the winner shortly after the event.
Due to the time constraints of the event, we may end up having to place potential contestants into a lottery to see who will be able to compete. If your contestant is not chosen in the lottery, he or she will be added as an alternate should a contest spot become available. If unable to compete a refund will be made.
Twisted Tale Speech Contest – 5-7 minutes
Open to Speakers League members (and Junior Speakers League members approved by their Club Chairperson). Judging panel determines the winner. Maximum entrants: 10
The goal of this speech is to tell a fictional story or folktale, but give it a plot twist or different ending. You may not be a character in the story. The speech should be presented in a broad theatrical fashion, without notes, a lectern, or screen sharing. However, props may be used. Props are items that you can handle or wear to better describe the characters or action in your story. Many giving this speech choose to be positioned so they are visible from head to toe.
Your story should be familiar to your audience members so they will recognize and appreciate the twist.
This speech is 5-7 minutes with a disqualification bell at 7½ minutes.
Twisted Tale Contest FAQs
May I use visual aids?: Only props are allowed (props are items that you can handle or wear to better describe the characters or action in the story). No screen sharing, annotation, or other people are permitted.
May I use notes?: No
May I present a Twisted Tale speech I have already given in the club, or elsewhere?: Yes, but it must be the first presentation of this particular speech at SLAM.
Do I need to turn in an MLA-formatted outline: No
What do I receive if I win the contest?: An engraved medal will be awarded. This will be mailed to the winner shortly after the event.
Capstone Speech Contest – 7 minutes
Open to Speakers League members (and Junior Speakers League members approved by their Club Chairperson). Judging panel determines the winner. Maximum entrants: 10
Present a speech on a researched topic in a way that incorporates all of the skills learned in Speakers League – excellent eye contact, natural gestures, vocal variety, visual aids, and clear organization. ADDITIONALLY, THE TIMING OF THE SPEECH MUST FALL WITHIN THE SPECIFIED TIME FRAME OF 7 MINUTES, PLUS OR MINUS 30 SECONDS.
Capstone Contest FAQs
May I use visual aids?: Yes.
May I use notes?: Yes
May I present a speech I have already given in the club, or elsewhere?: Yes, but it must be the first presentation of this particular speech at SLAM.
Do I need to turn in an MLA-formatted outline: No
What do I receive if I win the contest?: An engraved medal will be awarded. This will be mailed to the winner shortly after the event.
Poet Laureate Contest – 2 minutes
For quality control, this contest is only open to Speakers League and Junior Speakers League members who submit a sample video or draft written section of their presentation in advance, and are approved by the organizers. Judging panel determines the winner. Maximum entrants: 10.
For this contest you will dramatically present a poem. It must be at least 10 lines and can be written by anyone, including yourself.
Before you read (or recite from memory) the poem, please tell the audience a little bit about the poet and poem (the poet’s name, when he/she lived, why he/she wrote the poem, why you chose it, etc.). Be sure to include the name of the author and the title of the poem. You may also add closing comments after the poem.
Maximum time to present is two minutes, including any introductory/closing comments. A single red signal will be provided at 90 seconds, with a disqualification bell at 2 minutes.
Example: https://youtu.be/nQO6TPXnFno
Poet Laureate Contest FAQs
May I use visual aids?: No.
May I present a poem I have already given in the club, or elsewhere?: Yes, but it must be the first presentation of this particular poem for a Poet Laureate contest at SLAM.
May I recite more than one poem during my presentation?: No.
Should I sit or stand for my presentation?: It is your choice whether you would like to sit or stand. Choose the position that you feel will allow you to present your poem best.
What do I receive if I win the contest?: An engraved medal will be awarded. This will be mailed to the winner shortly after the event.
[Not being conducted this year]
Humorous Speech Contest – 5-7 minutes
For quality control, this contest is only open to Speakers League and Junior Speakers League members who submit a sample video or draft written section of their presentation in advance, and are approved by the organizers.
Judging panel determines the winner.
Maximum entrants: 8.
The object of this speech is to use humor to get your audience smiling and laughing. There are lots of techniques that speakers use to add humor to their speeches:
Do the Reverse
This kind of humor comes from surprising your audience by staking out a position that is the reverse of what would be considered normal. If you are giving a speech on candy, talk about how candy is a vital part of our diet because it gives us energy. Giving a speech about nursery rhymes? Talk about how they promote dangerous behavior by children – jumping over lit candles??! The absurdity of your topic will get them laughing.
Change it Up
Lots of things can be funny, and variety can also keep your audience surprised and amused. Puns, physical humor, exaggeration, irony, sarcasm, and word play are available to you.
Finish with a Winner
In a humor speech you want to start strong to get the audience warmed up, but don’t use all of your best material and leave a weak ending. Be sure to close your speech with a final joke or observation that ties it all up well.
Circle Around
In speaking, there is a technique called a “callback.” When using this technique, you reference something from earlier in your speech. This helps tie your speech together and can be used to great comic effect. For example, you could mention that your teacher wants homework turned in by email and that this makes it hard to come up with the old “my dog ate my homework” excuse. Later in the speech your “callback moment” is when you mention that you call your computer Rover because it has seemingly eaten so much homework every time it has crashed.
Other things to remember for a humor speech
Even with the best preparation, some parts of your speech may not go as well as you planned, in terms of audience laughter. Don’t scold the audience for not “getting” your humor or let this negatively affect the rest of your presentation. Just keep going and give the audience more chances to see and hear the humor. When they do laugh, be ready to adjust to it. Don’t talk over it, and keep in mind that laughter will affect the length of your speech. Build in some time to account for audience reaction, and be prepared with a few things to cut from your speech in case you risk going over time. Practicing with friends or family ahead of time will help you refine your delivery.
For online SLAMs it’s often difficult to gauge audience reaction, as you may not be able to see or hear your viewers. On the plus-side, you won’t have to adjust your timing to allow for laughter!
Humorous Speech Contest FAQs
Can my speech be longer or shorter than 5-7 minutes?: To be eligible to win, your speech must meet the standard eligibility point for a 5-7 minute speech at a club meeting, meaning you need to reach the green signal (5 minutes), but not reach the bell (7 1/2 minutes.) If you attempt to exceed 7 1/2 minutes, you will be muted.
May I use visual aids?: Yes, but only physical ones where you are located. No screen sharing or annotation.
May I use notes?: Yes, but, all things being equal, the judging panel is likely to prefer speeches presented with minimal or no notes.
What do I receive if I win the contest?: An engraved medal will be awarded. This will be mailed to the winner shortly after the event.
[Not being conducted this year]
Extemporaneous Speech Contest – 30 minutes prep time, 5-7 minutes speech length.
Open to Speakers League members who have given at least three speeches in their current club. Judging panel determines the winner.
Only students who are able to conduct research and prepare a speech independently are recommended for this contest. A panel of judges will determine the winner.
You will receive three questions on current events from which to choose and 30 minutes to create a 5-7 minute speech. Questions are often yes/no, but if open-ended, you must still answer definitively. You are expected to cite a minimum of three credible, recent sources, with full dates. A diversity of sources is also desired. More sources will lend credibility to each point and will be considered in judging criteria.
INTRO
Attention-getter – A story or parallel example that leads into… “…and that is what I thought of when presented with the question______” (Example: Will ______ be president?)
Thesis – The question, read verbatim, followed by a clear answer. “…and my answer is____ (no)
Preview – State what your 3 main points that support your answer to the question will be. “To explain my answer, I will first explain______ (scandals have followed this person’s career); then I will consider_______ (this person has little chance of gaining the independent vote); finally I will argue ______(the incumbent historically has a stronger chance of winning).” The 3 main points are generally claims, or arguments that you will support with your sources, and that all support your answer to the question.
The intro should take between 1:15 and 1:30. Then go into the…
BODY
Expand on the three main points that you previewed above. You need to speak about 1½-2 minutes on each, and include at least one source for each.
CONCLUSION
Restate the question and summarize your main points (“So today, I have answered the question, Will _________ be president? And I answered no. First, I explained that scandals have damaged her reputation; second, that she has lost the independent vote; and last, that there are opposing party candidates that are stronger”
Return to attention-getter story.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO PRACTICE?:
For best success, be at least somewhat aware of current events. You can practice at home based on whatever is in the news. Here are some topics that have been used in similar contests in the past:
- Election 2024: What will be the most important issue?
- _______ (Insert candidate): Can he/she win the Presidency?
- Should America build a wall on its southern border?
- Should we invest taxpayer money in a manned Mars mission?
- Should self-driving cars become a common source of transportation in the US?
- Trouble in Europe: Should changes be made to NATO?
- Terrorism: Should the U.S. do more?
- Agreement with Iran: Is it good for America?
- Is Common Core the answer to America’s educational problems?
- U.S. Education: What is the solution to poor educational outcomes?
- Police excesses: What can be done?
Extemp Speech Contest FAQs
Can my speech be longer or shorter than 5-7 minutes?: To be eligible to win, your speech must meet the standard eligibility point for a 5-7 minute speech at a club meeting, meaning you need to reach the green signal (5 minutes), but not reach the bell (7 1/2 minutes.) If you attempt to exceed 7 1/2 minutes, you will be muted.
May I use visual aids?: The only visual aid permitted is the use of the annotation feature on the Zoom whiteboard. If you anticipate using this feature, you are responsible for making sure you are already familiar with its use.
May I use notes?: As mentioned above, Speakers will only be permitted to hold or refer to a single 4×6 index card with notes on it.
What do I receive if I win the contest?: An engraved medal will be awarded. This will be mailed to the winner shortly after the event.